Page 175 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

Hydrastis: I, entire rhizome with roots; II, rhizome cut transversely;

III, detailed T.S. of rhizome, A, outer part of V.B., B, inner part; IV,
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powdered hydrestis; V, elements from xylem a, starch, b, fragm. of
xylem; bud; c, cambium; ck.cork cells; e, f, Fibers; en, endodermis; p,
pith; ph. phloem; r, root; rs, root scar, rt, root-trace; sb, stem base; st,
stem-trace; v, vessel; xy, xylem; In powder, c, crystals of alkaloid; f, starch.

Powder
Powdered Hydrastis is grayish yellow with a distinct, disagreeable odor, and
a bitter taste. Microscopically it is characterized by:
1- Nearly all fragments with a yellowish colour.
2- Numerous fragments of parenchyma containing starch granules.
3- Fragments of vascular tissue with pitted, spiral vessels, tracheids and ligni-fied
fibres, 15 - 20 microns wide.
4- Numerous starch granules, mostly simple, spheroidal, 2-15 microns in

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